The Detroit Pistons have fallen off

The Detroit Pistons have made it to the Eastern Conference Finals or beyond in each of the last six seasons, but that streak is likely to end.

General Manager Joe Dumars sent some tremors when he fired Flip Saunders after their loss in the East Finals, and then sent an earthquake when he traded team leader Chauncey Billups for Allen Iverson.

The move has thrown the whole team out of whack as the team-oriented atmosphere is gone with Iverson in town. The perfect team balance has been disrupted, and the team identity has been lost in translation.

At least the Pistons will have some cap space this summer when Iverson’s $22 million come off the books.